Curtain-rod



(No Model.)

W; E. EDSALL. GURTAIN'ROD.

No. 536,272. Patented Mar, 26', 1895.

WITNESSES: Y IVNVENTORV @ATTORNEYS TH: uonms Pneus ca, PnoYo-Lnuo., wnsumcon. D c4 "NITED STATES PATENT Ormes.

WILLIAM H. EDsALL, on BROOKLYN, New YORK.

CURTAINROD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 53 6,272, dated March 26, 1895-.

I Application filed December 26, 1894. Serial No. 532.918. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.;

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. EDsALL, a resident of Brooklyn, Kings county, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Curtain-Rods, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of curtain rods which are longitudinally expansible and designed to be held suspended self-sustaining between two opposing surfaces by the friction of the ends of the rod bearing upon the two surfaces. f

To this end my invention consists iu the construction hereinafter set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, in Which-.-

Figure l is a fragmentary elevation partly in longitudinal vertical section of one form of my invention, showing the same in position of use. the top of the rod. Fig. 3 represents aspring which is inolosed in the top. Fig. 4 represents a fragment o'f the rod proper which enters the tube and bears against the spring. Fig. 5 represents a form of elastic button that may be used with my improved structure, the same being similar to the button shown in section in Fig. l; and Fig. 6 is a side view partly in section of a modified form of button which may be used in my structure..

In the drawings, A is a suitable rod or tube having fitting over one endfor both rends thereof a tubula section B. At some transverse plane in the length of the tubulvarsection a suitable internal circumferential groove or enlargement b is formed, inwhich the bead or enlargement of the elastic button is seated, as will be hereinafter fully set forth. The end b of the tube may be suitably formed or flanged, if desired, but I preferably form it, as shown.y

D is a suitable button or plug preferably formed, as shown, that is to say, having a disk-likeportion or flange d to bear against the end b of the tubular section so as to prevent the button-from being forced too far into the tube, a neck d. of less diameter than the diameter of the disk-like portion d, and a bead d2 of larger diameter than the neck.

Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of,

This button or plug D is recessed preferably ou its inner end, with a. recess d3 having the portion of its length included within the cir cumference of the bead d2 formed with inclined Walls, as at d4.

C is a spiralspring of such size as to readt ily enter the tube and preferably has one of its ends c, which is in contact with the button or plug, of'a slightly larger diameter than the body of the spring.

' My improved Ystructure is set up as follows: The plug or buttonD which is made of indiarubber, wood or the like, but which is prefer ably elastic, is entered into the end b ofthe tubular section B so that the bead d2 registers withthe circumferential groove or enlargement b. The spring is next entered into the tubular section at the end b2 and pressed forward therein until its end c enters the recess d3 inthe button or plug D and bears against the inclined wall d4 of such recess. It will now be obvious that when pressure is brought upon the spring O, the end c will enter or press against the plug D and force or expand the plug outwardly into the the circumferential bead or enlargement b or against the inner walls of the tube, whereby the button or plug D and thetubularsection B will become firmly united. The-tubular sections and plugs thus connectedcan be carried by one or both ends of the rod A, as shown in Fig. l, and the in terposed spring or springs serve to permit the structure to be compressed in the direction of its length, the rod and its tubular section or sections telescoping. The device'may thus be applied to any desired use between two opposing surfaces.

In Fig. 1 I have shown the curtain rod as sustained self-supporting between two opposing surfaces E F,the curtain rod being longer than the distance between E and F, and being longitudinally compressed and sprung therein and held in place by the friction of its ends upon the surfaces E F, the expansive force of the spring or springs C serving to press the button or buttons against the opposing surfaces to thus hold the rod suspended selfsustaining between two opposing surfaces.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6 the button D consists of the disk or flange-like portion, neck and bead d5, d6 and (Z7 respectively, and likewise with the recess d8,but instead of allel with the axis of the button D and at a `greater distance therefrom than the wall of the recess da, so as to form an annular seat d10 for sustaining a portion of the impinging force of the spring. The arrangement and interaction of the parts when the button D is used in lieu of the button D are the same as in the former case, that is to say, the disk or liange-like portion d5 of the button comes against the end of the tube and prevents the button from moving longitudinally in one direction, to-wit, farther into the tube, while the spring bearing against the button and pressing it into the bead dicr against the iuner Wall of the tube prevents motion longitudinallyin the opposite direction. The but.- ton may be made without any recess.4

Now While I have specifically described a particular structure, I would have it understood that l do not thereby mean to limit myself to the structure thus set up, as it is obvious that the construction may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention. For instance, it will be quite obvious that instead of enlarging or laterally expanding the tubular section by a circumferential groove or enlargement b, the tube may be otherwise constructed to help retain the rubber plug, and to have the plug take the impact of the spring. The instrument is theoretically complete without the tube which acts simply as a guide for the rod A, and to prevent the spring from collapsing. The plug D holds the tube in place for these purposes.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a tube, an elastic button entered into said tube and provided with a ange adapted to bear upon said tube to prevent longitudinal movelnent of the button in one direction, and a spring entered into the tube to contact with said button and serving to prevent longitudinal movement of the button in the other direction, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a tube, an elastic button entered therein, a spring entered into the tube and serving to expand the button to hold the same from longitudinal movement, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a tube, a recessed elastic button entered into said tube, and a spring entered into the tube and into the recess in the button and serving to expand the button to hold the same from longitudinal movement in the tube, substantially as described.

4. The combination of a tube, a recessed elastic button entering said tube, a spring entered into the tube from the opposite end in which the button is entered and into the recess in the button and serving to expand the same to prevent the button from moving longitudinally in the tube, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a tube, an elastic button entered into the tube and provided with a recess with inclined Walls as d4 of a spring entered into the said tube and the recess in the button and bearing against the inclined wall thereof and serving to expand the button to prevent longitudinal movement of the button, substantially as described.

6. In a curtain rod, the combination of a tubular section having an enlargement of greater diameter than the body of the tubular section, a button or plug entering said enlargement, and a spring in the tubular section adapted to contact with said button, substantially as described.

7. The combination of a tube provided with an enlargement, a recessed elastic button provided with a bead, the said button being entered into the end of the tubular section in such a manner that its bead registers with the circumferential enlargement, anda spring entered into the end of the tube opposite to the end in which the button is entered and into the recess in the button and serving to expand the button to cause the bead thereof to bear against the wall of the enlargement to hold the button securely in the tube, substantially as described.

WILLIAM II. EDSALL.

Witnesses;

HARRY M. TURK, GEO. E. Mossa. 

